The mayor of St. John’s is responding to frustration expressed over the pedestrian mall.
The concept was re-introduced during the pandemic, allowing businesses in the capital city’s downtown to set up outdoor patios, while a portion of Water Street is closed to vehicle traffic.
While it’s proved a hit in past summers when the weather has been warm and sunny, pedestrian traffic has taken a hit this year due to a relentless diet of rain, drizzle and fog.
Local restaurateur Todd Perrin took to Facebook on the weekend expressing frustration with the city’s decision-making process on the pedestrian mall, and citing the city’s own survey showing “real concerns about safety, security and parking.”
Perrin claims most businesses indicate they haven’t really seen any particular benefit from the pedestrian mall.
Mayor Danny Breen told VOCM Open Line with Brian Callahan that the weather is definitely a factor this year.
Mayor Danny Breen speaking to media at the Pedestrian Mall in downtown St. John’s, (VOCM News)
“If the weather is not great, people are not going to be down in the pedestrian mall as much as they were, say, last year when the weather was a lot better.” He acknowledges that some businesses do better than others when it comes to the pedestrian mall.
The mayor says the city has heard from residents and tourists who really like the pedestrian mall.
“They think it’s a great addition to the city, it has a community aspect to it, it has a place where community can gather.” He says they conduct a review every year and gather feedback. “The downtown businesses have never been all in favour of this, or all against it, it really is a mixed bag.”
